Uncoupling device



4devices the operating handle remains in i s s en te. eine a fr er itl l li si ii it at" CHARLES y mausi To WALTER r.

UnooUrLnvc-i :envien Application filed September "9, 1920,' Serial No. 409169.

l To all 1c/10772A t ymay concern."

Be it known that l, CLL-xmlns lll. NICHOLAS,

a citizen of the United States, residing atl Tarentum, in the county'oi Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania? have invented new and useful improvements in lUnnoupling' Devices, ot which the followingv is a specifica"- tion; y y

This invention relates to 'uncoupling` devices for car couplers generally but more particularly to such devices for locomotives in which use it is highly desirable that the device may hecoperated from both sides oit the locomotive. n The object of this invention is to provide an uncoupling device7 which may be operated `trom eitherside of the car and of such construction that the operating` handles will not project forward from the end yoiz the car when the lock pinr of the coupler is in lock set position, ineansl'ieing provided to'permit the handle to retiunl to its normalv substantially vertical position against the end of the'car. .ln some typ'esotuneoupl o* raised position when the lock pin is in'lock set position, which in tliecase oi use on a locomotive isvery dangerous, inasmuch as operators in stepping' 'from the 'oot boart.,y usually found on. trontboards ot locomo-- tives, are liable to'havetheir clothing` caught in such an outstanding` handle whereby they may be thrown on the track and injured. These conditions make it desirable to provide means whereby the handle operated may return to its normal substantially vertical position, without disturbinkg')` the lock set position of the lock pin.

This invention consists ot a single operating lever mounted on the car having oper-` atinghandles on opposite sides ot the coupler and a crank at the center of the lever ein` tending' 'forwardly from the car and suhstantially at right angles to the handle7 a rigid bar link connected to the lock pin oi the coupler` at its lower end and vertically slidably connected at its upper end with said crank whereby all service movements of the coupler are permitted without impos ing` strains upon the lever and whereby the operating lever may return to its Lnormal position without disturbing the lock set position of the coupling pin.

ln the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of the end structure 'of/'a car with this invention in operative position thereon.

Figure 2 is a iront elevation of Figurel. y Figure 3 is a sidefelevation of' Figure 1.

F ig'ure 4 isfan' enlarged detail plan view. or' a lcrank clip shown in position on the crank.. l `Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of' Figure 4. c

. Figure@y is a view in sectionatakenon'the line 644603? Figure 4. y

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail top elan view of a modifiedformofcrank'clip. A

Figure 8 is a view in 'side elevationv ofA` Figure 7. f

`Figure 9 is a view in sectiontaken on the line 9- --9 of Figure'?.

The reference'numera'l 1 designates an end structure forav car orr locomotive. 1F or con`- venience`r the term car, will be understoodi to include locomotives, the coupler 2 with thislock pin 3 maybe oi the improved auto# matic type, now commonly'in use.

rBhe operating` lever`4 isiformediin one corr-` tinuous` barprovidedjat rthe ends with dey pending' handles 5 which terminate at their l'nver ends in a rearwardly bent position 6 spaced from the handle-and adapted to normally lie against'theend st'iuoture,th'ereby spacing' the handle 5 iroinitheend structure,

thus, 'eliminating' all' danger oi, the voperator havin p; his hand crushed between the handle andend structure. The center of the cperatingy lever is provided with an integral crank 7 formed by bending the lever bar upon itself so that the crank extends forwardly from the end structure of the car, substantially at right angles to the handle and terminating at its end with an eye 8;

Brackets 9 are secured ynear cach end of the end structure and are provided with {iller pieces 10 and cot-ter pins 11. A double bracket 12is, secured midway of the ends of the end structure. rlhe center bracket 12 is also provided with filler blocks land cotter pins 14.-

The coupler lock pin 3 is connected to the crank `7 of the lever by means of a rigid bar link 15 which comprises a hook 16 at its the plane of the rest ofthe bodyy of the hook whereby it may, without the use of tools, be engaged with and disengaged from the eye of the coupler lock pin only when the lever 4 is removed from its bracket. The

rest of the rigid link comprises an arm or bar extending upward from and integral with the hook and terminating in open `forwardly extending hook 17 which passes through the eye 8 oi the crank and is free to slide vertically relatively to said eye and is free to move vertically to said eye to accommodate all service movements of the coupler. The engagement between the hook 17 and the eye 8 of the lock pin being such as will also permit of suc-h movement Without imposing strains upon the operating lever.

To prevent the bent back portions of the crank ,7 from spreading and to rterm a bearing in the eye 8 for the link l5 a clip 1S is provided having a tongue 19 extending into the eye and downwardlyv extending sides 2O adapted to be secured about the portions of the crank to rear of the eye Where they contact. The clip may be of one piece and pressed into position as shown in Figures Il, 5 and 6 or may be in two pieces 2l and 22 engaging opposite sides of the crank or bolted or riveted in place as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9.

The operation is as follows: To uncouple the ears or to place the lock pin in lock setposition, the operator pulls forward on either one of the handles of the lever thereby revolving it in its brackets and elevating the crank causing the eye ot 'the crank to .move up into engagement with the hook ot the rigid link, elevate the link, and pull the lock pin of the coupler into lock set position, after which the handle is li erated and it will automatically fall to its normal position against the end structure Without disturbing the lock set position of the lock pin.

llVhat I claim is:

l. In a release rigging tor ear couplers,

Y on its upper end adapted normally to prevent disengagement from the crank, and a clip having a tongue entering the eye of the crank and side members adapted to engage the portions of the rod Where they contact at the rear of the eye, said clip acting as a bearing for the link in the eye and as a binding member to prevent the portions ot the rod from spreading at the rear of the eye.

2. An operating lever for a release rigging for car couplers comprising a bar adapted to be rotatably mounted upon the car end and extending from side to side thereof, integral handles depending `from each end oi the lever and an integral crank I'itendiig centrally 'from the lever substantially at right angles to the handles formed by bend.- ing the rod back upon itselt and leaving in the outer bend an eye adapted for the passage of a nin litter link, and a clip hava tongue entering the eye of the crank and side members adapted to engage the portions ot the-rod Where they contact at the rear of the eye, said clip act-ing as a bearing for the link in the eye and as a binding member to prevent the portions of the rod fom spreading at therear of the eye.

CHARLES W.` NlGHOLAS. 

